The best stately homes to visit in Britain

No longer the preserve of royalty and the landed gentry, stately homes make for a fantastic summer day out - each with a unique mix of history, architecture and Arcadian glamour.

And as late summer brings with it cooler weather, and the occasional shower, they make a great rain-friendly alternative to the British coastline if you’re looking for a weekend activity that will keep you dry.

Whether you’re a fan of botanical gardens, scouting for interiors inspiration or you simply want to gawp at some old-world glamour in Austen-worthy surroundings, there’s a stately home for everyone.

Castle Howard, Yorkshire

Recognise this facade? That’s because it featured as the fictional home of Sebastian Flyte in the TV adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited. One of England’s most beautiful houses, Castle Howard was built in the 18th century by Sir John Vanbrugh for the 3rd Earl of Carlisle. The magnificent house sits in a landscape of rolling hills and unexpected monuments in the Howardian Hills, an area of outstanding natural beauty just outside York. Explore the dramatic interiors containing world-renowned collections and take a turn about the 1,000 acre grounds and parklands including walled rose gardens, an ornamental vegetable garden and a woodland garden, dotted with statues, temples, lakes and fountains. Make sure you spare some time to drop into the exceptional cafe too.

Sprawling grounds: Castle Howard in Yorkshire

Montacute House, Somerset

Another building you may recognise - it was recently used to represent Greenwich Palace in the television adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall. In 1975, the National Portrait Gallery established the first of its regional partnerships at Montacute, placing on loan a large collection of Tudor and Jacobean portraits, which can be seen in the magnificent Long Gallery and the adjoining rooms on the top floor of this late Elizabethan mansion. Keen gardeners will enjoy walking around the beautiful grounds that surround Montacute which are constantly changing through the seasons - book in a late August trip and you’ll find find spectacular florals on display, filling the house with the scents of summer.

Recognise this facade from Wolf Hall?

Burghley House

Looking for spectacular interiors? It doesn't get more lavish than Burghley House, where more than 35 opulently decorated rooms fill the ground and first floors (but there are more than 80 in the entire property). The house is renowned for its ‘hell staircase’ - the ceiling of which was painted by Verrio as his last commission at Burghley. It shows the mouth of Hell as the enormous gaping mouth of a cat, with countless souls in torment within - a unexpectedly epic spectacle to behold. Built for Sir William Cecil, Elizabeth I's chief advisor, Burghley House lies close to the village of Stamford in Lincolnshire. Look closely and you’ll see that its walls are filled with portraits of the Cecil family, Elizabeth I, Henry VIII and Oliver Cromwell. Outside of the house, there are 2,000 acres of gardens to explore including a deer park.

Best Stately Homes in the UK

Best Stately Homes in the UK

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Longleat House, Wiltshire

Is this the most eccentric stately home in the UK? Built in the 16th century, Longleat's roster of attractions includes 900 acres of parkland, a maze, and an extensive safari park, containing a variety of animals, including, Cheetahs, red pandas, gorillas and giraffes.

Rex

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Chatsworth House, Derbyshire

Ever wanted to visit Mr. Darcy’s pad? Chatsworth was the stunning property that doubled as the fictional Pemberley Estate in the BBC’s adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (yes, you can even visit the lake that Colin Firth famously plunged himself into).

Frank Fell/Robert Harding/Rex

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Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire

Visited by some 600,000 tourists per year,Blenheim Palace was built in the early 18th Century to celebrate victory over the French in the War of the Spanish Succession, and is now home to the 12th Duke of Marlborough. The palace boasts a lively schedule of year-round events including a supercar show, half marathon and horse trials

Andrew Parsons/Rex

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Hatfield House, Hertfordshire

Currently the home of the 7th Marquess and Marchioness of Salisbury and their family, Hatfield House was constructed in 1611 under the orders of William Cecil's son, Robert, and lies adjacent to the site of Hatfield Palace, the childhood home of Elizabeth I. Just an hour away from London by car or train, Hatfield is a great last-minute weekend escape from the city.

Fiona Graham/Rex

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Burghley House, Lincolnshire

Looking for some spectacular interiors? You won’t get more lavish than Burghley House, where more than 35 opulently decorated rooms fill the ground and first floors (but there’s over 80 in the entire property all together). The property is renowned for it’s ‘hell staircase’ - the ceiling of which was painted by Verrio as his last commission at Burghley.

Chris McHugh/Rex

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Montacute House, Somerset

Another building you may recognise, because it was used to represent Greenwich Palace in the television adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall. In 1975 the National Portrait Gallery established the first of its regional partnerships at Montacute, placing on loan a large collection of Tudor and Jacobean portraits, which can be seen in the magnificent Long Gallery and the adjoining rooms on the top floor of this late Elizabethan mansion.

Chris McHugh/Rex

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Castle Howard, Yorkshire

Recognise this facade? That’s because it featured as the fictional home of Sebastian Fyfe in the TV adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited. One of England’s most beautiful houses, Castle Howard was built in the 18th-century by Sir John Vanbrugh for the 3rd Earl of Carlisle.

Samuel Atkins/Rex

Hatfield House, Hertfordshire

Currently the home of the 7th Marquess and Marchioness of Salisbury and their family, Hatfield House was constructed in 1611 under the orders of William Cecil's son, Robert, and lies adjacent to the site of Hatfield Palace, the childhood home of Elizabeth I. Just an hour away from London by car or train, Hatfield is a great last-minute weekend escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Interior aficionados will be keen to explore the extensive display of fine Jacobean furnishings and historical mementos - plus there’s a magnificent collection of more than 10,000 books on the tour.

Magnificent book collections: Hatfield House in Hertfordshire

Blickling Hall, Norfolk

Not for those who scare easily - it is said that every year, on the anniversary of her execution, Anne Boleyn's headless ghost arrives at Blickling in a carriage driven by an equally headless coachman. The possible birthplace of Henry VIII’s second wife, Blickling Hall houses a statue and a portrait of the future queen amongst its array of historical artefacts and ghostly folklore. There’s plenty of literary history to be explored too - the estate's library houses the country's most valuable collections of books and manuscripts. Outdoors, there are cycling paths that run throughout the estate’s 500 acres of woodland and parkland - so you can finish off a bike ride with a pint in the hall’s very own pub.

Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire

Visited by some 600,000 tourists per year, Blenheim Palace was built in the early 18th century to celebrate victory over the French in the War of the Spanish Succession, and is now home to the 12th Duke of Marlborough. The palace boasts a lively schedule of year-round events including a supercar show, half marathon and horse trials. Inside, the attractions include an exquisite collection of portraits, furniture, tapestries and porcelain, while the Churchill exhibition features letters written by the great Prime Minister and photographs of him at Blenheim.

Visit the Churchill exhibtion at Blenheim Palace

Chatsworth House, Derbyshire

Ever wanted to visit Mr. Darcy’s pad? Chatsworth was the stunning property that doubled as the fictional Pemberley Estate in the BBC’s adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (yes, you can even visit the lake that Colin Firth famously plunged himself into). Art buffs will want to explore inside the house, which contains dozens of antiques and artwork - the current Duke and his wife are keen collectors of contemporary art, many examples of which are spread through the house and gardens.

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Longleat House, Wiltshire

Is this the most eccentric stately home in the UK? Built in the 16th century, Longleat's roster of attractions includes 900 acres of parkland, a maze, and even an extensive safari park, containing a variety of animals, including, cheetahs, red pandas, gorilas and giraffes. Inside, dozens of rooms within the house are open to guests, each filled with valuable paintings and furniture.